Always
by xoxIcing
Summary: One Shot. PostJungle Movie. its been two years since Arnold left and Helga is still acting like it doesnt bother her. The thing about realizations: they hit you when you least expect it.


Helga looked outside the window, it showcased a beautiful picture that only Hillwood City could paint. Yet, even the sunny day couldn't bring light to her darker days since her beloved left for San Lorenzo to live with his parents.

She had helped Arnold find his parents exactly two years ago. Exactly.

Just as Arnold dreaded the day his parents left him, Helga grew to resent the day she had to let Arnold go.

It was painful, Arnold's eyes lit up when they both came face-to-face with his mother and father. Helga watched in the sidelines, like so many countless times, as they embraced for the longest time. Arnold turned to her, his face bright when his dreams finally came true. She smiled – she had to let him go.

Helga scowled at everyone the whole day. She was mean but somehow become more withdrawn, but everyone somehow understood. She just wanted to left alone.

She sighed, a postcard sent by her beloved next to her locket. She pulled it out and stared at it for the longest time, hoping it would strike something poetic. But nothing. She had gone through her moping; now all she was is numb.

She dragged herself out of the bed, frustrated by her lack of energy. She pulled out a piece of paper and her favorite pen and begun her letter to Arnold:

_Hey Arnold,_

_It's – me. Helga. Surprised, huh? Sorry I couldn't write back to you sooner. I just been real busy. A lot has happened since, well, you left._

_We are now entering Middle School which is exciting, I guess. Rhonda's still miss snobbish and thinks she's so fashionable. Lila is well, Lila. Nadine is Nadine. Harold is still Harold._

_Criminy. I guess nothing much has changed then._

_Phoebe and Gerald are now going steady. It was sweet. Just so you know, if he ever messes with Phoebe, he will answer to Old Betsy and The Five Avengers. Even if he is your best friend._

_Over here at the homefront was a little too much on the dramatic side. Olga staged an intervention for Miriam and she checked herself into rehab. Alcohol Abuse. Can you believe it? Bob isn't much better. We did this counseling or whatever and tensions ran high. Now he is trying to win father of the year. Criminy. Get this – ever since Miriam came back, we've been sitting down around the table to talk about feelings._

_I know, right?_

_I do walk by your house though. Your grandpa is sweet. And your grandma would offer cookies whenever she sees me. I guess she knows. They are sometimes nice enough to let me in your room. I hope you don't mind. It is still the same. They don't have the heart to rent it out._

Helga had to pause as she felt the tears caught at the back of her throat. Her lips began to quiver, unsuccessfully trying to hold them in but she couldn't.

Her salty tears dropped towards the paper below her, smudging up the ink.

_Arnold, I know you are finally happy where you are and I am happy that you are happy. I know how much you've waited for this moment and I know how important this is to you._

_I just wished that you would be happy here too. Here with me. I miss you. I love you. Not a single day goes by when I don't think about you. I can't write poems anymore because a part of me is gone since you left. I can't … I feel so empty. I need you here, Arnold. I need you._

Helga stopped writing as she continued to cry. It was the first time she ever did since he had left her. She took a deep breath and continued:

_I know this is a lot to ask you. But I am not asking you or commanding you. I just want you to be happy. If happiness is with your parents then so be it._

_Maybe in the next lifetime, Arnold._

_Love – Helga_

Helga took a deep breath and slowly folding the letter. She decided to add a decent picture of her. She wasn't smiling in it – but she wasn't scowling. It just captured her pensive yet demanding gaze.

She slowly put it in the envelope, sealed it with a kiss, taking the amount of stamps needed to get it mailed and wrote his address in San Lorenzo

She put on her white shoes and walked out the door, merely glancing at her parents who had rekindled their love. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, clutching to the letter with her life. She walked by familiar faces, no one wanting to approach her.

The neighborhood was hit hard when Arnold left. They know it hit her the hardest.

She took the long way through the neighborhood, knowing the little spots she and Arnold spent some of their more memorable moments. She passed by them with memories vividly playing in her mind.

She finally stopped in front of the mailbox and pulled out the letter from her pockets.

She couldn't mail it. She had poured her heart into it – yet it didn't seem right. Arnold will come back to her. Maybe. He found his parents after all these years. Maybe she and Arnold will find each other again. He knows where to find her.

Unless there was some exotic Latina bombshell he had been spending a lot of time with. In that case, she will pummel him.

She took a deep breath and headed back home, dejectedly.

She walked even slower. This time taking in every memory that came by to her. Arnold didn't leave her on this day – she simply had to let him go.

That was the end of that.

The sun was finally setting when she knew she had to get to her house. Every since her mom returned from rehab, they have been acting more like parents. Which meant curfews and punishment.

She stomped on her stoop, and yanked the front door open.

"MOM! DAD!" she yelled, "I'M HOME AND I AM GOING TO MY ROOM! I'M NOT HUNGRY!"

"Helga, hunny," Miriam called back, "Please, just come to the trophy room."

Helga groaned as she entered the room holding Olga's accomplishments.

"What?" she hissed.

"Hunny," said Miriam sympathetically, "We know you are a little sad so we got you something."

Bob grinned to Helga, presenting a set of tickets to the latest and hard-to-find Wrestlemania tickets.

"We figured you might have a good time there," Bob said.

Helga shrugged her shoulders apathetically, "I don't want to go. I just want to stay in my room."

She turned around to head just there and somberly walked towards the staircase. When the familiar voice stopped her:

"But I was going to take you to dinner first."

She stopped and turned back, her jaw just dropped to the floor.

Arnold stood before her, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, outreached for Helga to take.

"You – you came back?" Helga sputtered, feeling water lined the corner of her eyes.

Arnold's face stretched to a grin as he nodded, "I came back."


End file.
